Do What You Have to Do
by DictionGoddess
Summary: Alternate A Missing Link, written before it aired. - Sydney, Vaughn, and the aftermath.


Do What You Have to Do  
  
By novocaine  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Will never be mine. ABC and JJ Abrams make money for this kind of thing- not me.  
  
Summary: Alternate A Missing Link, written before it aired. Sydney, Vaughn, and the aftermath.  
  
Note: Justin Theroux had an accent in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, so he does in this story as well. You can deal, right?  
  
My friend refused to beta-read, so all mistakes (and they will exist) are mine. Many apologies.  
  
The black clothing is tight and restrictive, but she tries to muster a smile as Simon comes toward her. He's the kind of man she despises, and the thought of spending her two missing years with him makes her shiver in disgust. She hides her feelings as she turns to face him, their lips meeting in a sloppy, wet kiss, his tongue invading her mouth. She is about to pull away when he moves back abruptly.  
  
"Julia, did you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?" She replies absently, fighting the urge to wipe off her lips.  
  
"A noise...to the right. Go check it out, will ya love?" She gives him an overly wide smile and head over into the bushes, discovering Vaughn's radio communicator on the ground. She shoves it into her pocket, curses her pants for being tight, and heads back out to report that nothing was amiss.  
  
Except for the fact that when she returned, Simon had a gun pointed at Vaughn's head.  
  
"Simon? Who've you got here," she tried to reason, ignoring the pounding of her heart.  
  
"Some CIA idiot. Seems they've taken to spying on us. Do you mind disposing of him? You haven't been around much lately for any of the fun. A kill could do you some good. Just toss him over the hill when you're done. Easy one to break you back in."  
  
"Sure," she says too quickly, then grabs Vaughn's hands and places them in restraints. He doesn't protest and refuses to look her in the eye. She is furious to see him there, wondering why the hell he would show up in the first place. "Let's go over to the hill. I'll walk back when I'm done. It'll be quick." She pulls the knife off her belt and guides him over near the edge.  
  
"I'm sorry Syd," he mumbles, and she remembers all at once why she fell in love with him. She pushes those thoughts out of her head and tries to calm her rattled nerves.  
  
"Don't talk. I'm gonna lead you to the edge. You act like I stabbed you, and then roll down the hill, okay? I'll toss your radio down afterward so you can contact Weiss." She stops when they get close, then grabs him by the collar of his jacket. "I'm going to count to three," she says loudly for effect, in case Simon is listening, "then you're done. Any last words?" He shakes his head and she ignores the pain in the back of her throat as she pulls the knife back, hoping she can accurately fake the motion.  
  
Suddenly she feels a push on her elbow, her arm shoots forward involuntarily and the knife plunges into Vaughn's stomach. She feels his muscles contract and his blood flow over her hand. She looks into his eyes, and they aren't focused on her but on a figure behind her. Simon's hand is locked firmly on her arm.  
  
"You took too long, my sweet. It's okay, we'll get you back in shape. But now we gotta get on the move. Say goodbye to the all-American boy." He releases her and walks toward their vehicle, and she pulls the knife out, gasping in horror at the blood on her hands and his shirt.  
  
"Oh god," she whispers. He finally looks at her, and she feels her heart breaking.  
  
"I'm sorry." He chokes out the words a second time, but she thinks they have a different meaning entirely. She watches as he sinks to his knees, clutching his stomach as the blood pours out. The blood...she can't get over it. She can't help thinking that she has done this to him, whether by her reappearance or when she kissed Simon...somehow this all has to be her fault. His blood is everywhere, in her vision, on her hands on the groundonherhandsonhisshirtonthegroundhandsshirtgroundbloodbloodblood....  
  
"Julia!" she hears again, and reluctantly turns. "I know you like to watch them squirm, but shove the poor bastard down the damn cliff."  
  
"Sure thing," she calls back. She crouches next to Vaughn, who is now lying on the ground. "You have to roll down the hill, okay? Can you handle it?" He takes a deep (painful) breath as she nods and she wants to cry for the thousandth time since she first saw him again. She does her best to make it look like she's kicking him as he sends himself over the edge, presses the emergency button on his radio in hopes that Weiss will respond quickly, and heads back toward Simon.  
  
And wonders if she will ever be okay with what she did. 


End file.
